#33 ** (Camren)

Chapter 19: Lunch Time

Narrator's POV

Since that day, Camila and Lauren became closer. It's not very close but close enough for them to have a friendly talk or conversation which was not job-related. Camila started getting used to calling Lauren by the first name, but only when they were out of the office or business setting or when there were only two of them in the room. Lauren also managed to get Camila to eat sushi. Camila even grew to like it and they had their sushi lunch every Wednesday. They got to know each other better now, not only knew but understood each other too. Lauren knew Camila's persistence, and Camila knew Lauren's stubbornness, short temper, or moodiness. At the end of the day, they learned how to cope with it.

However, Lauren was still checking on Camila every morning. Lauren still stayed on Camila's cappuccino even though the coffee shop reopened now. Both of them would steal a glance at the other when the other not looking. They also still had one habit, they never talked in the elevator. Lauren would just use that moment to admire Camila's back asset, and Camila would just stand there looking at the elevator screen. Camila was still questioning Lauren and Bebe's relationship, and Lauren was still annoyed by Camila's admiration for Mr. Gosling.

Mrs. Lopez noticed how Lauren grew to like Camila more than an EA. Do they both know about it? Well, Lauren started noticing that she grew to like Camila, but Lauren also saw it as a common thing almost everybody she knew liked her, her father, and even Normani. While Camila sometimes would think why Lauren looked at her like that, she always saw Lauren as her boss. Besides, she was far from Lauren's type. As Camila knew Lauren liked models, or the blonde hair women, or Bebe's type. So she never thought about it further and brushed it off.

Friday morning end of November, As usual, Camila brought lunch for Taylor, Normani, Dinah, Louise, and Mrs. Lopez, she even made one this time for Austin. When Camila went into Lauren's office to inform her schedule, she asked Camila.

Camila's POV

"Camila, why did you never offer me a lunch you made?" Lauren asked me out of the blue.

"Uh, I thought you don't like it." I was confused. I had made lunch for others once in a while since three or four months ago. Why just now, She asked for it.

"How can you know I don't like it when you never let me try." Lauren was complaining like a kid whose mother didn't prepare her lunch box but prepared for her siblings.

I was all confused thinking about what struck her mind today. How should I answer her without offending her? I could just say she was always dining at a good restaurant, how the hell she would like my home cooking? Ah, I remembered, "You did, I cooked for you once at your home, and you didn't say anything. I supposed you didn't."

"You never," She frowned, she didn't even remember.

"Yes, once, lunch and dinner," I said

"No!!" her eyes were challenging me.

Jeez, why she was so stubborn, "Yes, when you hit Hussey that day."

"Oh, yeah." She remembered now, huh, "but, I finished them"

"But, I didn't know, You might throw it away." I looked at her finished the lunch, but not the dinner I left, she might throw it away.

"No, I didn't. I finished it." She raised her voice.

"Well, you never said you like it. So, I supposed you didn't."

"Well, you know I am not like your Mr. Gosling who will compliment your cappuccino. I didn't but you still make me the cappuccino and I still finished them." She looked annoyed.